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Scenes from the ongoing Twitter debacle that is #JeSuisMilo

Found in the #JeSuisMilo hashtag on Twitter
Found in the #JeSuisMilo hashtag on Twitter

History repeats itself. In September 1939, Hitler launched World War II by blocking Poland on Twitter. In December 1941, the United States entered into the war after Japan subtweeted the American naval base at Pearl Harbor.

This past Friday, according to Breitbart, Twitter “declar[ed] war on conservative media” by taking away the little blue checkmark that used to run next to Breitbart “journalist” Milo Yiannopoulos’ name on Twitter, verifying that he is indeed the real Milo Yiannopoulos.

No, really. Here’s the headline of the piece that ran in Breitbart’s tech section on the terrible injustice done to young Mr. Yiannopoulos, who coincidentally just happens to run Breitbart’s tech section.

Twitter Declares War On Conservative Media, ‘Unverifies’ Breitbart Tech Editor Milo Yiannopoulos

Now, Milo hasn’t actually been banned from Twitter. Twitter simply informed him that “due to [his] recent violations of the Twitter Rules” — he’s a bit of a bully — they were taking away his little blue checkmark. So now he has to navigate Twitter without a little blue checkmark, like the overwhelming majority of Twitter users.

Naturally, Milo’s army of fans has responded to this terrible tragedy with wisdom and restraint.

JUST KIDDING! They’re crying bloody murder on Twitter and harassing anyone they can blame for Milo’s de-checkmarking.

Referencing a slogan formerly used to honor journalists and others literally murdered by terrorists, Milo’s Twitter fans launched the hashtag #JeSuisMilo. It was ugly

Here are some scenes from the ongoing debacle that is that hashtag.

https://twitter.com/TheAmazingPleb/status/685651751685341184

https://twitter.com/rstafford9/status/685635514481786880

https://twitter.com/AlHolmes66/status/685863515916115969

https://twitter.com/GBedecker/status/686036916744097796

Naturally, there were rape jokes.

https://twitter.com/MikeRotondo86/status/685666046443823104

In a variation on the old “I’m Spartacus” ploy, many of Milo’s fans pretended to be him. (The real Milo posts as @Nero)

https://twitter.com/MiloYiannopoul2/status/685699475290091520

https://twitter.com/Nuclearcherries/status/685698288864079873

https://twitter.com/dunnolol4/status/685735953072193536

It didn’t take long for the Milovians to find women to blame for Milo’s plight. Many — including some of the fake Milos — went after Huffington Post writer Jessie Thompson, who wrote a piece defending Twitter’s actions. Many of her, er, critics seem to be big fans of the c-word.

https://twitter.com/QuintusMetellus/status/685867151060766722

https://twitter.com/PillboxHill/status/685927247581085696

https://twitter.com/JRocca26/status/685916008561963008

https://twitter.com/Jew_Banker/status/685901724180037636

https://twitter.com/goodboygreg/status/685845870336708608

https://twitter.com/herpefeminist/status/685849987230597121

But she wasn’t the only woman to draw the fire of the Milovians. Some used the hashtag as an excuse to attack familiar #GamerGate targets.

Others — again, including some fake Milos — used the hashtag to promote their own agendas — some silly, some horrific, some a mixture of the two.

https://twitter.com/fiendeJ/status/685643144076083201

https://twitter.com/Qildaen/status/685938406929481728

https://twitter.com/gazetchic/status/686237395893776386

https://twitter.com/_simpa_/status/685993767007088640

One fellow thought he knew the real reason feminists hate Milo.

A few even managed to work their “cuck” obsession into their Tweets.

https://twitter.com/Ideo_Vames/status/685659660104368129

You can tell something about writers by the fans they attract. Milo’ fans prove with every terrible tweet of their what a wretched bunch of bullies and bigots they are — and why Twitter needs to do more to crack down on the abuse that its platform enables.

Congratulations, Milo defenders, for own-goaling yourself so magnificently.

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dhag85
dhag85
8 years ago

@Ben Cohen

Thank you for your strange opinions. 🙂

Can you go opine elsewhere now?

katz
8 years ago

Hey Ben, you know who else can get impersonated on Twitter and just has to deal? All us normal people who don’t have verified accounts. If we can handle life without a blue checkmark, so can he.

maghavan
maghavan
8 years ago

I also bet that he’s the type to throw a tantrum if the date he (deliberately) paid dinner for says no to sex. He probably accuses her of fraud, or even “financial rape by fraud.”

Especially since the metaphor is a total miss. How does “expecting” the man to pay equate with rape even metaphorically? It’s more like the equivalent of a man expecting sex in return for paying.

Men are still perfectly free to EXPECT sex if they pay for dinner …. or if they don’t … or really under any circumstances whatsoever. Expectations are just thoughts. The problem only comes when a man acts on these thoughts/expectations and decides to take what he expected without consent. If he respects her “no” and acts accordingly then he isn’t a rapist even if he expected sex since the get-go. A misogynist jackass? Maybe. A Rapist? No. OTOH, if he does not, then he is one even if he never really expected anything at all.

Really, I guess then the equivalent would be something like a date-and-dash where she has the meal and then, without getting his consent to pick up the whole bill, excuses herself to “go to the bathroom” but really takes off and sticks him with the check. A very poor comparison to rape but at least has the element of putting someone in a situation without their consent.

Paradoxical Intention
8 years ago

Ghost Robot | January 11, 2016 at 6:18 am
I keep waiting for the bubble to burst regarding Milo’s inexplicable fandom. The guy is so obviously, blatantly full of shit on every level, yet his enraptured fans genuinely seem to view him as some truth-telling warrior against the “PC police.”

I think it’s partially because he’s a gay man who hates being gay, since anti-SJWs or Gators or whatever they’re calling themselves these days believe that if you are homosexual, transgendered, a woman, whathaveyou, then you’re above reproach from SJWs/Feminists/THEM.

So, they believe as Milo is a gay man who disagrees with THEM, then he’s really telling the truth about things, because he agrees with the Manosphere, and disagrees with THEM.

It truly baffles me, particularly how they keep making excuses for his utter absence of tech savvy – a curious quality in a “tech editor,” one would think – and documented contempt for gamers.

But remember, Anita’s “not a real gamer” and thus everything she has to say is subject to ridicule and can’t possibly be true.

Given his shifty business practices, I wouldn’t be surprised if he winds up doing a long stretch in the clink for fraud. I’m sure his fans will still blame the mythical SJWs for that, too.

Of course. Because apparently we are all powerful, while at the same time, we aren’t capable of winning this fictional “war” they’ve cooked up.

Also throwing in my condolences for the Bowie fans. I wasn’t a big fan of his music, but I loved him in Labyrinth.

Hambeast, Social Justice Beastie
Hambeast, Social Justice Beastie
8 years ago

Paradoxy:

Also throwing in my condolences for the Bowie fans. I wasn’t a big fan of his music, but I loved him in Labyrinth.

Me too.

Alan Robertshaw
Alan Robertshaw
8 years ago

UK Bowie fans (or peeps who are good at internet) may wish to tune into BBC Radio 6.

Non stop music from the man himself and related artistes.

NickNameNick
NickNameNick
8 years ago

David,

I realize you don’t like Milo, but is it really fair to take away his verification? His verification prevents people from confusing him with his various impostors like “Anti-Marxist Milo.”

Ben Garrison’s reputation was seriously damaged by neo-nazi trolls who vandalized his cartoons.

http://www.breitbart.com/tech/2015/12/22/ben-garrison-how-the-internet-made-a-fake-white-supremacist/

Even if you dislike Milo he doesn’t deserve that.

-Ben

*Beep Boop*

I. Am. Expressing. Genuine. Sentiment. Right. Now.

*Beep Boop*

Ben Cohen
Ben Cohen
8 years ago

Kupo,

And he’s being held accountable for the things he has said which violate the TOS he needs to follow if he wants to be Twitter verified. If he wants that checkmark, he need to follow the TOS.

If he violated the TOS, he should have his account suspended or terminated. Taking away his verification encourages trolls to impersonate him. I personally think online impersonations should be discouraged, taking his blue tick away encourages it.

dhag85,

Thank you for your strange opinions. 🙂

Can you go opine elsewhere now?

^^^Above perfectly exemplifies anti-intellectualism. You don’t like Milo, ergo you think that random trolls impersonating him is funny and cute. When someone points out the downside to encouraging this type of behavior, it makes your brain hurt and you tell them to leave.

I know contemplating the consequences of your views is a strain, but just as physical exercise benefits the body, mental exercise benefits the mind.

Cheers,

-Ben

dhag85
dhag85
8 years ago

@Ben

Nice try. Nobody here thinks it’s funny or cute that Milo’s fans show support for him by using his name. We think it’s sad. I haven’t expressed any views other than calling your opinions strange, but I’ll be happy to contemplate the consequences of that viewpoint. It led me to express my view and conclude you’re not very clever. Done.

Can you leave now?

Ben Cohen
Ben Cohen
8 years ago

Katz,

Didn’t notice your comment. Celebrities receive blue ticks because they are frequently victims of impersonation. Taking it away as a form of punishment, is like removing police protection from someone as a form of punishment. Punishing people in that manner is lynch-law plain and simple.

-Ben

sunnysombrera
sunnysombrera
8 years ago

If he violated the TOS, he should have his account suspended or terminated.

I completely agree. Twitter should have done that.

Taking away his verification encourages trolls to impersonate him. I personally think online impersonations should be discouraged, taking his blue tick away encourages it.

This is also true. But here’s the thing: this is Milo we’re talking about. If it were anyone else I’d probably have a bit more concern but I’m really struggling to feel bad for a bigoted bully losing his verification. Also, so far only his own fans have impersonated him, and in a show of solidarity as well. If one of our own, an SJW, impersonated him to try and make him look even worse than he makes himself look (now that would be a feat) – I would condemn it! Honestly.

^^^Above perfectly exemplifies anti-intellectualism. You don’t like Milo, ergo you think that random trolls impersonating him is funny and cute. When someone points out the downside to encouraging this type of behavior, it makes your brain hurt and you tell them to leave.

I know contemplating the consequences of your views is a strain, but just as physical exercise benefits the body, mental exercise benefits the mind.

Ahhhh, true colours. They always show eventually, don’t they?

Freemage
Freemage
8 years ago

Ben: Gonna try this one more time. Verified status is a privilege, one that Twitter has chosen to grant some of the users of its free service. In exchange for that privilege, Twitter places additional requirements on those users. To an extent, one of those requirements is an extra careful adherence to the rules that theoretically apply to their unverified accounts, but which the sheer size of their customer base has rendered impractical to enforce on everyone.

Milo fucked it up. So Twitter decided to reduce him back to the status he had prior to verification, and thus removed a special privilege that he had failed to live up to. Twitter is under no obligation to go further and completely ban him, though ironically enough, that would be my own personal preference, and I’d like to see that followed through with all of his little minions quoted in the original post here.

Is that clear enough to you, you odious little troll?

Ben Cohen
Ben Cohen
8 years ago

Sonnysombrera,

This is also true. But here’s the thing: this is Milo we’re talking about. If it were anyone else I’d probably have a bit more concern but I’m really struggling to feel bad for a bigoted bully. Also, so far only his own fans have impersonated him.

You don’t have to feel bad for him to oppose the manner in which he was punished. Punishing someone in this manner sets a very bad precedent, and encourages online impersonation/identity theft.

-Ben

Tessa
8 years ago

Ben Cohen:

Kupo,

And he’s being held accountable for the things he has said which violate the TOS he needs to follow if he wants to be Twitter verified. If he wants that checkmark, he need to follow the TOS.

If he violated the TOS, he should have his account suspended or terminated. Taking away his verification encourages trolls to impersonate him. I personally think online impersonations should be discouraged, taking his blue tick away encourages it.

From twitter:

Do verified accounts have access to extra features?

Yes, verified account holders have access to the following extra features:

Verified account holders have access to filters in the Notifications page that let them display their Notifications via one of three options: All (default), Mentions and Verified.
Visitors to verified account profile pages can select between two timeline options: No replies or All. No replies, which is the default setting, displays Tweets that are not direct @ replies to fans or followers. All displays every Tweet, including @ replies.
Verified account holders have access to account analytics, including data and characteristics about Tweet engagement and followers.
Verified account holders can elect to opt out of Group Direct Messages via the Security and Privacy settings page on Twitter.com.

Also regarding getting them removed:

Can an account lose its verified status?

Changing certain profile information (such as the @ username or protecting Tweets) will result in the removal of a verified badge. That account will automatically be reviewed again to ensure it is eligible for verification.

An account may also lose its verified status if it violates the Twitter Rules or Terms of Service.

Previously verified accounts may not be eligible to have their badges restored.

Getting verified is an extra feature with its own added functionality, not a requirement. If he is breaking the rules for having the feature, he shouldn’t have it. It’s explicitly stated that breaking the TOS will result in getting verification taken away. And frankly, if he himself is breaking the TOS with his own verified tweets, what exactly does he need protection from? He is ruining his own reputation, so rather than complaining about twitter following procedure, how about going over to Milo and tell him if he would have followed the rules, he’d still have his magical blue checkmark?

Sonnysombrera,

This is also true. But here’s the thing: this is Milo we’re talking about. If it were anyone else I’d probably have a bit more concern but I’m really struggling to feel bad for a bigoted bully. Also, so far only his own fans have impersonated him.

You don’t have to feel bad for him to oppose the manner in which he was punished. Punishing someone in this manner sets a very bad precedent, and encourages online impersonation/identity theft.

-Ben

No it doesn’t. Encourages identity theft? Really? So Twitter verification is linked to credit reports and social security numbers?

sunnysombrera
sunnysombrera
8 years ago

Didn’t notice your comment. Celebrities receive blue ticks because they are frequently victims of impersonation. Taking it away as a form of punishment, is like removing police protection from someone as a form of punishment. Punishing people in that manner is lynch-law plain and simple.

It’s…it’s really not. Like the dude equating rape with paying for a date, you’re equating leaving someone vulnerable to violence with having some random internet person copy your nym. Even though plenty of people know your handle, which can’t be changed.

I’d also be hard pressed to call Milo a “celebrity”. Leader of a rabid hate mob? Yup. Internet sensation? Not so much.

kupo
kupo
8 years ago

Twitter could outright ban him, but considering it’s in the FAQ that they sometimes remove verified status for violating the TOS, it’s not like they’re doing anything unusual here.

https://support.twitter.com/articles/119135?lang=en

Edit: Ninja’d!

Jody
Jody
8 years ago

What could an impersonator possibly do to make Milo look worse?

sunnysombrera
sunnysombrera
8 years ago

You don’t have to feel bad for him to oppose the manner in which he was punished. Punishing someone in this manner sets a very bad precedent, and encourages online impersonation/identity theft.

I don’t oppose it anyway, because as Freemage and Tessa put perfectly, he did this to himself. Twitter has a set of rules and guidelines that come with the privilege of verification. Milo broke those rules. Ergo, he rightfully gets busted down to Average Joe status like 98% of Twitter’s other users.

Ben Cohen
Ben Cohen
8 years ago

Freemage,

First of all why am I a troll (and an odious one)? Not everyone who disagrees with you is a troll, labeling everyone who disagrees with you a troll is the calling card of a small-minded, anti-intellectual, bigot.

Full Definition of bigot
: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices

Second, the question was not whether twitter violated their own rules; the question was the wisdom of removing people’s verification as a punishment. Removing verification encourages impersonators, incidentally impersonation with the intent to deceive does not enjoy legal protection.

Tessa
8 years ago

Ben Cohen:

Second, the question was not whether twitter violated their own rules; the question was the wisdom of removing people’s verification as a punishment. Removing verification encourages impersonators, incidentally impersonation with the intent to deceive does not enjoy legal protection.

Hmm, so then twitter is encouraging impersonation of everybody who doesn’t already have a blue check mark? Real life didn’t give me a check mark either. Is merely existing encouraging impersonation?

Serious questions, why did Milo deserve to have a blue check mark in the first place? Was Twitter, in your opinion, obligated to give him a blue check mark? Was twitter negligent in taking as long as they did to give him a blue check mark in the first place, leaving him in danger to impersonation all that time?

sunnysombrera
sunnysombrera
8 years ago

the question was the wisdom of removing people’s verification as a punishment.

Impersonation is not really that big of a deal as you think it is, apart from the Ben Garrison example you cited. Even when unverified it’s pretty easy, generally, to tell who might be a slandering troll: account only has 10 subs and been active for a day? Impersonator. Not hard. Numerous YouTube stars have managed to get by without verification for a while, before they finally got it. Oh yes, and the point you seem to be forgetting: USERNAMES CAN’T BE DUPLICATED. Chances are that Milo’s fanbase, and Milo himself would be VERY quick to point out that @nemo784
is not @nero, and @nero is the one with all the subs and the time stamps and the actual credibility in proving they are who they say they are.
TL;DR You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.

kupo
kupo
8 years ago

Side note: while looking at the Twitter rules, I found an entire section just about impersonation. Here’s to hoping those foul-mouthed followers taking Milo’s name and image are dealt with accordingly.

Ben Cohen
Ben Cohen
8 years ago

Jody,

What could an impersonator possibly do to make Milo look worse?

Posting neo-Nazi propaganda under his name, so that whenever people google him that comes up?

Sunnysombrera,

I don’t oppose it anyway, because as Freemage and Tessa put perfectly, he did this to himself. Twitter has a set of rules and guidelines that come with the privilege of verification. Milo broke those rules. Ergo, he rightfully gets busted down to Average Joe status like 98% of Twitter’s other users.

Fair enough. Twitter can revoke the privilege of verification for users who violate TOS, with the obvious consequence that it will encourage impersonators….Doesn’t that strike you as a very bad precedent?

As an aside, I would be extremely unhappy if I found out that neo-Nazis were using my name and face to post propaganda.

-Ben

katz
8 years ago

If the blue checkmarks are a safety feature, everyone who can provide corroborating evidence of their identity should have access to them.

If they’re not, then they’re a privilege, and privileges can be revoked.

But Ben is arguing that they’re both a safety feature and a privilege that Milo is uniquely entitled to.

weirwoodtreehugger
8 years ago

Above perfectly exemplifies anti-intellectualism. You don’t like Milo, ergo you think that random trolls impersonating him is funny and cute. When someone points out the downside to encouraging this type of behavior, it makes your brain hurt and you tell them to leave.

It’s not anti-intellectualism to mock misogyny. It’s not necessarily pro-intellectualism either. It’s just fun. It is funny that Milo’s fans are responding to have his verification taken away by impersonating him in order to call women cunts, further damaging his reputation. Milo purposely cultivated a fan base of misogynistic, racist twitter harassers. Now it’s biting him in the ass. That’s fucking hilarious. Stop pretending your truth bombs are too hot for our confused and simple brains to handle. It’s a troll move and it’s been tried here many, many times before.

Your above the fray, too rational for you act is old and tired. Go back to troll school and come up with something better and maybe you’ll get the scathing and brilliant takedown you seek.

First of all why am I a troll (and an odious one)?

Here’s why

Punishing people in that manner is lynch-law plain and simple.

You’re comparing having a twitter verification taken away to fucking lynching.

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